Dauntless
by YoungNero
Summary: Pyrrha takes Jaune's transcript reveal more appropriately.
1. Dauntless

"I can't believe I trusted you".

Those damning words rang in his head as he watched his partner slowly back away.

"Pyrrha I-," Jaune struggled to muster up an explanation. Anything he could say to make his partners rage subside. Wracking his mind over and over again, he found his resolve to be miniscule beneath her glare.

"What did you think was going to happen? Did you think you would just be able to somehow fake your way through this?"

Fighting back unshed tears, Jaune watched as his confidant paced angrily across the barren rooftop. He knew sharing his false transcripts were a bad idea, he'd known from the start, but to see the one person he thought he could trust react like this?

What hope did he have if anyone else knew?

"Pyrrha please, I only wanted to help!"

"Help who Jaune?!"

Jaune stilled as he felt his next words dissolve in his mouth.

"Do you realise the gravity of this situation? Our team leader is supposed to be responsible for both our lives and the safety of the civilians. Jaune, we have been training for this before we could even really grasp what the grimm were!"

Her beautiful emerald eyes reflected none of the kindness he had grown accustomed to over the course of their friendship. Instead, they smoldered with a searing anger he had formerly thought reserved solely for the grimm.

He felt his heart pound as he watched her continue her tirade without missing a beat.

"We've been training for years Jaune! Would you trust a doctor who 'only wanted to help'? We could die Jaune! You. Could. Die!" screamed Pyrrha. Her chest heaved as her impassioned speech stalled.

She watched Jaune steadily, waiting for him to say anything at all to contradict the truth she had said. She had known he wasn't that strong when they had been partnered.

No huntsman in training that she knew of simply didn't have an unlocked aura, however; she took it in stride on the basis that no school would admit a student if they weren't at least competent.

If his aura was lacking, then his swordplay surely must have been impeccable.

Or so she had hoped.

When it had become readily apparent throughout combat class that his swordsmanship was abysmal and his aura was his only redeeming quality, she became somewhat wary.

Her wariness only increased as he grew more withdrawn in the following weeks. His lackluster performance alongside his progressively worsening reclusiveness had all culminated to this.

To the revelation that her partner was merely a civilian with a sword masquerading as a hunter.

"I'm sorry."

Pyrrha watched as Jaune struggled with himself for a moment, before a look of defeat crossed his features. His previously unshed tears glistened in the moonlight as the fractured moon of Remnant bore witness to his moment of vulnerability.

"You're right." he continued, "I just wanted to be a hero like my family so badly, but you're absolutely right. I was reckless. I thought I would come here and learn to be a huntsman, but it turns out I'm just not cut out for this."

Falling to his knees, he stared at her with a pleading look that placed cavernous cracks in her once unshakeable rage.

"I know I'm not cut out for this Pyrrha, but I'm begging you. Please help me."

As more of her rage ebbed away, she took stock of his dilapidated form. His arms hung limply at his sides as his eyes burned a hole into her soul. Her eyes softened as she opted for a gentler approach.

"Jaune, it's not that I don't want to. It's just far too late for you to begin learning at a rate that will place you in good standing here. I wish it were possible, but I just don't see a way for you to stay here while -"

"I'll make it happen!"

She flinched as his stare became more and more desperate. His hands once limply at his sides were now in his lap, his knuckles chalk white from a vice like grip on his black slacks.

"I'll do whatever it takes. I need this Pyrrha, please. Help me."

Staring into his desperate sapphire eyes, she made a decision. Looking at the fractured moon she spoke, her voice rippling through the night's breeze.

"No."


	2. Pink Eyes

"Winner, Cardin Winchester!"

With a sigh, Jaune stared at his aura meter.

Another loss.

Cardin's smug huff reached his ears, even as Professor Goodwitch rattled off every mistake he made with that clipped tone he'd come to loathe.

"_Pay attention to your aura Mr. Arc. Pay attention to your surroundings Mr. Arc._" he mocked in his head, as she dismissed him to his seat. Did she really think he wasn't trying to? Regardless, he issued a quick nod before making his way up the stands.

Glancing around, he was relieved and disappointed to see the resounding apathy of his peers. After his first loss, there had been hushed whispers and jeering tossed his way, but after a while the outcome had gotten stale.

He glanced up to see his team sitting alongside team rwby. Ruby with her usual exuberance cheered him on alongside Nora.

"You'll get em' next time fearless leader!" spoke Nora, jubilation oozing from her every word.

"Yeah Jaune! You managed to hit him at least twice this time! That's like, a new record!"

Withholding a sigh, Jaune smiled at them. It wouldn't do to throw his feelings of inadequacy onto them, especially when they were just trying to support him. Glancing around at the rest of his friends, he doubled down on his resolve not to sigh.

Blake seemed to have written off his fight entirely, opting to silently read her book. She didn't even deign to acknowledge his return as she lazily flipped her book to the next page. Weiss was no better, having paid attention to the fight out of sheer respect for the professor as opposed to any interest in him. Upon seeing him, she diligently returned to her notes with a huff.

Yang lay face down, her light snores being the only indication that she was still alive.

As much as he wanted to be annoyed, he was somewhat relieved that they didn't feel the urge to give him meaningless platitudes. It somehow hurt less knowing they'd rather just ignore him.

Still maintaining his forged smile, he moved to his spot between Ren and Pyrrha, returning the simple nod that Ren gave him as he sat down. He glanced over to Pyrrha and this time a sigh unbidden slipped from his lips.

She still refused to look at him for more than a split second at a time. The awkwardness was honestly starting to get to him, and he really hoped Ren and Nora weren't starting to feel the backlash of their argument.

Despite happening a week ago, Jaune could have sworn it happened just last night. He still remembered her rage and her disappointed look. How he begged her to train him, and how she crushed his pride with a word. He was honestly surprised he was even still here. With how upset she seemed, he honestly expected her to report him to the Headmaster, yet here he was.

He could be thankful for that at least.

"Jaune."

Snapping out of his thoughts, he glanced over to Ren, noting the look of concern he gave him.

"What's up Ren?"

Ren eyed him sharply taking in every detail, from his plastic smile, to his fleeting glances at his partner. He scanned every facet of his leader's face, searching for anything that may betray his thoughts.

Finding nothing, he focused on the action taking place in the arena.

"Nevermind. It was nothing."

* * *

"I think something's wrong with Jaune. As distant as he's been, he's never been this off? It's hard to put a finger on it." spoke Ren, as he sat down next to his teammates and across from team rwby.

"I don't know, he seemed fine to me," said Blake, her deadpan tone accompanied only by a single turn of a page.

"What's wrong with Vomit Boy now?" asked Yang, her fork lazily scraping along her now empty plate. "He found a new way to hit on Ice Queen or something?"

A scoff, and a flip of hair were the only responses Yang received for her efforts. Ren ignored their antics and pressed on.

"I just noticed he's seemed a bit off. He's usually fairly open, but he's been more closed off this past month. I'm worried he may be dealing with some kind of trouble."

"Our fearless leader is in trouble?! Quick Renny, we have to help him!" gasped Nora as Ren shook his head in exasperation. He spared a quick glance to Pyrrha who seemed to be in her own world, barely paying attention to what was being said.

His frown deepened. He was willing to bet that whatever was going on was also affecting Pyrrha, considering the awkward silences and glances he and Nora had been forced to endure for the past week as the partners danced around each other.

He was gonna get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

* * *

Jaune lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. He'd considered going to lunch with his friends, but after yet another loss he'd just wanted to be alone. He needed some time to think alongside some time away from the endless energy of his friends and the endless discomfort that came with every glance he and Pyrrha shared.

He didn't understand either. She didn't even seem that upset anymore, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything. She had this information on him, yet refused to even acknowledge it anymore and it was driving him crazy!

'If she was gonna tell Professor Ozpin, she would have by now right? What if she's waiting until I get injured or what if she's already told him and he's deciding my fate right now?! Who else has she told?'

These thoughts had been keeping him occupied for the last week, and the anxiety they produced only threatened to get worse with each passing day. He was already fairly certain Goodwitch didn't like him all that much, and if she got wind of his...less than legal acceptance to beacon, he was sure she would immolate him on the spot.

Ozpin was a complete wildcard, but definite expulsion and possible jail time were strong factors in his mind whenever he shared a glance with his partner.

"Jaune."

Eyes going wide and adrenaline surging through his veins, Jaune leaped out of bed. Scanning the room, he saw Ren standing there with his arms up in a show of surrender. He flushed as embarrassment replaced adrenaline.

"Don't you people knock!?"

"Jaune, I live here."

His blush returned anew as he watched Ren stride across the room to sit in his bed seemingly content to just stare at Jaune until he composed himself.

Clearing his throat, he tried to salvage what dignity he had left.

"So, what's up Ren?" asked Jaune, his eyes planted firmly on his feet as he tried to calm his blush. "I thought you were gonna eat lunch with the girls?"

"I was and I did. I finished a bit quicker than normal and decided to come back. I was hoping to catch you actually." spoke Ren, his soft tone carrying a certain level of authority.

"Well you got me Ren. Jaune Arc is at your service! What do you need?"

The smile and cheesy finger guns that went with that statement were so painfully forced it almost made Ren cringe. He closed his eyes deciding to go for the kill.

"What happened between you and Pyrrha?"


	3. A Conversation

Ren watched on as jaune fidgeted under his gaze. He knew asking directly would be somewhat of a challenge, but he needed to understand what was happening. The silence from his teammate prompted him to push again.

"So?"

He watched as Jaune fidgeted nervously before his response flowed from his lips.

"What happened? Ren! Nothing's happened! We just had a...mild disagreement!" sputtered out Jaune.

Raising a fine eyebrow, the raven haired boy remained unmoved as he watched his friend struggle to craft a rather obvious lie.

"Yeah! See I had just asked Pyrrha about some of the finer details of...grim hunting?"

Ren brazenly pressed on, "Grim hunting? I didn't realize you were that interested in the topic."

Letting out a nervous laugh Jaune's hand unbidden flew to the back of his neck.

'A nervous quirk.' noted Ren mentally as Jaune pressed on, determined to maintain the facade.

"You know me, full of surprises!"

"I can see that. So...what facet of grim hunting were you discussing? It must have been fairly complex to spark this type of contention."

Jaune's heart sunk into his chest. He watched as Ren's unrelenting gaze met his shaky countenance.

Was it always this hot in here? Well, he didn't exactly make it this far by being honest.

"You know what? It was actually pretty late at night. I don't even really remember-"

Ren's exasperated sigh ground his speech to a halt.

"Jaune, I would really prefer if you didn't lie to my face. I would like to help you, but I can't if I don't know what the issue is. Now, could you _please _tell me what's going on?"

Jaune's hand fell to his side as he stared at Ren. This was it. There was nowhere left to run. With a shaky gait, he made his way over to his bed, plopping down akin to a puppet with cut strings. Staring out the window, he spoke.

"Ren...I think I made a mistake. I don't belong here."

A frown formed on Ren's face as he tried to process what he meant.

"I don't understand."

"I faked my transcripts. I never had any type of training, I never went to an academy, hell before initiation I'd never even been in a fight. I lied, saved up as much money as I could, and came here chasing a dream."

Keeping his eyes glued to the carpet, he waited for Ren to condemn him. If he were being honest, he deserved it. He'd cheated his way in, while everyone else here worked diligently to get in. He'd made a mockery of everything that a huntsman should stand for by-

"So?"

Jaune's head snapped up with the speed of an atlesian airship. He watched as Ren's head cocked to the side, his magenta eyes radiating humor.

"Jaune, you really don't think people get into huntsman academies on academics alone do you?"

"Huh?"

Jaune sat flabbergasted as Ren let out a wry chuckle.

"Truth be told, we don't exactly have the luxury of only accepting students that graduate a preliminary academy. With the grimm threat expanding everyday, the academies can't exactly afford to be too picky."

His face took on a look of contemplation as he sought out his next words. He glanced over to see Jaune's mouth agape, his mind doing its best to process this new information.

"Truth be told, I don't have transcripts either. Due to an...unorthodox childhood, I never got to attend one of the academies."

"But you're a great fighter!"

"I wouldn't say great, but I can hold my own. With all this being said, I'm still curious. What exactly happened with Pyrrha?"

As an air of newfound camaraderie settled over the room, Janine visibly relaxed. His shoulders sagged as the weight of his secret was hefted off of his shoulders, as his breathing steadied.

If Ren noticed, he chose not to comment.

"I told her about my transcripts and lack of training."

"I'm guessing it didn't go over too well?"

"No, it really didn't." mumbled Jaune, as his eyes once again met the floor. "She was angry Ren, I didn't even know she could get that upset. I even begged her to train me, but she refused, insisting that it was too late to get me up to beacon's standard. We've been doing...whatever _this _is for the past week because of it."

Humming in contemplation, Ren leaned back. His eyes roved the ceiling, his mind reaching to find a rational explanation. He may not have been the most social person in their friend group, but he liked to believe he had a fairly solid grasp on the characteristics of each person he knew.

Weiss reprimanding Jaune? Absolutely. He wouldn't be surprised if she brought it to Ozpin right away on principle alone.

Pyrrha reprimanding Jaune? Near impossible. With her kind nature and her extremely obvious infatuation with the boy, Ren was honestly surprised she didn't jump at the chance to train him, if only to spend more time with him.

Something wasn't adding up here.

"That doesn't sound like Pyrrha…"

Letting out a derisive snort, Jaune flopped back onto his bed.

"Trust me, if I hadn't seen it I would have never believed it. Truth be told, I'm still worried about what she said."

"Uhhh, which part exactly?"

"The part where she said it was too late. What if I really can't catch up? It's not like I even expect to be the best, but...losing every fight just sucks you know?"

Ren stayed silent, allowing his friend to vent uninterrupted. He'd been in enough situations like this with Nora to understand that Jaune just needed someone to listen.

Letting out a grunt of confirmation, he waited for Jaune to continue.

"Ren is it too late? Am I...am I just wasting my time?"

'Well that's a weighted question…'

Honestly he wasn't sure how to answer that. There was a bit of truth in Pyrrha's words. Getting up to combat level this school demanded would be insanely difficult. He'd have to be tactful with this.

"Jaune, when we're in combat class what does professor Goodwitch always say to you?"

"_Use your aura wisely Mr. Arc! Try to evade more attacks Mr. Arc!_ Honestly she gives such generic advice, it doesn't make any sense. How about some tips on how to strike with my sword or how to better block with my shield?

"Actually, it does. Look at her weapon. How would she give you specific instructions on how to use a sword and shield?"

Jaune faltered at that. He'd honestly never considered that. Ren pressed on.

"Everyone, well almost everyone that comes here has a basic understanding of the weapon they use. This school is more so to hone and build upon what we already have accomplished."

"Her class is for the purpose of refinement. Considering she uses a riding crop, I'd find it extremely unlikely for her to be a good person to teach someone like Ruby how to use a scythe."

Standing up, Ren began to pace.

Jaune watched as he roamed up and down the limited space in the dorm, enthralled with Ren's rationalization.

"The main problem here is that you have no base. You can't refine what you don't have, and with everyone being head and shoulders above you in the combat department, you just get thrown around without the chance to really learn from the experience."

"But I can still learn how to use my sword and shield!"

"You could, but from who?"

Ren paused in his stride as he heard Jaune shift, the rustling of his sheets betraying his movement.

He could virtually see the cogs turning in Jaune's mind. It wasn't like he was trying to be harsh, but he knew it needed to be said.

"We all use such different weapons. Not even factoring in mechashift capabilities, wildly different fighting styles and usage of or lack of semblance. I can't even recall seeing a single student aside from you and Pyrrha that use a sword and shield."

"Ironically, Pyrrha would have most likely have been able to train you to a decent level of swordsmanship, but by then the rest of us would be even further beyond where we are now. It'd be akin to chasing a horse that got a month long headstart. Not impossible, but extremely difficult."

With every word spoken, Jaune felt another nail enter his proverbial coffin. Had Pyrrha been right? He'd struggled with the question for the better part of a week and now he had his answer.

He felt tears well up in his eyes, as he let out a remorseful chuckle. It was all he could do to keep his tears in, and he'd be damned if he cried in front of Ren.

"However, you also have your strengths. Your aura is quite frankly gargantuan. I've seen fully licensed huntsmen take less hits than you and run low on aura."

Jaune's eyes widened as he looked over to Ren. His disbelieving stare causing his unshed tears to fall.

"You also showed a surprising amount of tactics and leadership ability during the initiation. Getting three people you barely know to follow your command is no easy feat. Hmmm."

Ren once again fell into a contemplative silence, opting to ignore the sniffles of his distraught roommate. He'd been ruminating on it for a while and he was pretty sure he had a solution. Whether or not it worked would be solely on Jaune.

"Alright, I have a plan. Jaune, what would you do to get stronger? I won't lie to you, it won't be easy."

Jaune swallowed the growing lump in his throat. He eyed Ren warily as he remembered the words he spoke to Pyrrha.

The words that he hoped would hold weight here.

Tempering his resolve, he met Ren's cool stare with his own. The effect may have been ruined by his puffy cheeks and incessant sniffles, but at this point he couldn't have cared less.

"I'll make it happen."

Nodding succinctly, Ren idly reached for his scroll.

"Very well. First order or business, you need a new weapon."


	4. Enter Nora

Jaune listened as Ren tried unsuccessfully for the fourth time to call Nora. Ren mentioned something about her being the best one of them to help him build up his speed and strength.

If he was being honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he was about the type of training someone as..._eccentric _as Nora would put him through. He couldn't vocalize it, but the very thought filled him with apprehension.

"Well, we'll ask for her help later. For now let's just do what we can. Like I said, you need a new weapon."

Stowing his scroll in his pocket for now, Ren turned his full attention to Jaune.

"Right! So...do you have anything in mind?" asked a bashful Jaune.

"Actually yes. I've been giving it some thought, and the main thing we need is to find a weapon that can not only compliment your strengths, but that is similar enough to a weapon either Nora, I, or team Rwby preferably Yang or Ruby know how to use. It should be fairly simple, but your choices may be limited."

A frown marred Jaune's face at the exclusion of his snow angel.

"Hey! What if Weiss or Blake could also teach me how to use a sword similar to what they use?"

"Since we're being honest here Jaune, I'm not counting them too heavily because I don't think they will help you. I know we're all acquaintances, but I'm fairly certain Weiss would rather swallow a rusty nail than spend any prolonged time with you. I don't think Blake would be too keen on that notion either if I'm being honest, no offense."

"Some taken!"

Ren offered an apologetic shrug as he continued.

"In any case, Ruby actually considers you to be a friend and would gladly help if you asked. If Yang gave you an issue about asking for help, using Ruby would be a great way to get Yang to help us regardless of how she may feel."

Glancing warily at Ren, Jaune couldn't help the words that tumbled out of his mouth.

"Wow Ren I didn't realize you could be so…"

'Manipulative, ruthless, downright diabolical!' thought Jaune as he finally settled on the least harsh adjective that came to mind.

"...Shrewd."

"It's a gift. I'd rather wait for Nora before we pick a weapon, for now let's focus on a topic I'm better suited to. What do you know about aura?"

"Errr, it's a force field? Pyrrha said something about a reflection of our souls, but something about aura just screams "force field" you know?"

"No. Considering your aura pool is probably your greatest defense and offense for now, it'd be wise if you try to understand and master it to the best of your ability. I'm saying this as someone who also primarily uses aura techniques in battle as well. Are you following me so far?"

Receiving a rapid head nod for his efforts, Ren pressed on.

"Now aura has two forms in which we can utilize it. The passive form of aura is one that manifests without thought. As a reflection of our soul it is always with us, shielding us from most superficial harm automatically."

"The second form of aura we use comes in its active form. This occurs when we actively draw from our aura pool and direct our aura with a specific intent. Most people use this technique for three purposes. Increasing defense, increasing offense, and usage of a semblance."

A hand shot into the air, prompting a raised brow from the impromptu teacher.

"This isn't a class Jaune."

With an awkward cough, Jaune shyly lowered his hand.

"Sorry, I was just wondering how exactly you would even unlock a semblance? Does it just happen automatically or will I have to do something else?"

"I have absolutely no idea. Semblances are unlocked in a myriad of ways ranging from mundane to stressful. It's not an exact science…"

"Gotcha, so just keep training and I'll find it eventually…"

"It's not the most essential thing. Quite a few hunters never even discover their semblance. It's more of an accessory than anything."

A series of knocks on the door prompted both teens to turn towards the sound. Sharing a glance, Jaune opted to move, only to go careening to the floor as the door was flung open leaving nothing but smoking body and a dust cloud.

"Ren! I was so worried! Sorry I missed your calls, but I left my scroll in here!"

Climbing out of the rubble that was once his bed, Jaune stared incredulously at Nora. He noticed Ren's deadpan face alongside his muted resignation.

'Maybe if I live with her long enough, I'll learn to be that stoic.'

Shaking his head to clear out some of the stray debris, something finally clicked.

"Wait, you said you left your scroll here? Wouldn't we have heard it ring? How did you know Ren was calling you? I don't understand…"

"Oh Jaune-Jaune! I have to silence my scroll before I got to sleep silly~! As for knowing Ren was calling me, sometimes a girl just knows. You know?"

"Actually, I don't know."

"Eh, your loss. So! What were you calling me for anyways?"

"Jaune snuck into Beacon and needs help training. He also needs a new weapon."

Blatant disbelief painted Jaune's face as he listened to Ren lazily explain the situation. How could he just say that so casually?

'Does he realize the door's still open?!'

Meanwhile Nora's face took on a look of concentration, her cheeks puffed out with her furrowed brows fixed into an exaggerated look of focus. Her eyes closed as she let out a series of "hmmms" and "haaas" that Jaune knew were most certainly for show.

"Ok! What's my part in the plan?! Can I teach him how to ride Grimm?! We can be grimm riding buddies!"

With a gasp and a squeal, Nora seemed to drift off into her own world.

Jaune turned to face Ren, desperately trying to convey his fear with his eyes. Ren met his pleading look with his own stare that conveyed only one message.

'You asked for this.'

"Actually Nora," chimed in Ren, breaking her out of her daydream "I was thinking you could help him with his physical training. Lifting weights and running to build up stamina and speed. I think you'd be a perfect fit to help him with his grimm fighting as well."

"I guess...and we can't ride the grimm?"

"No Nora you can't ride the grimm."

With a pout and a huff, Nora turned away from Ren, her petulant stare now targeted solely at the window.

"Meanwhile, I'll train you how to use your aura along with hand to hand combat. I happen to know quite a few combat styles and some rudimentary unarmed combat should suffice."

"Wow."

Both Nora and Ren turned to Jaune as he looked at them, a newfound gratitude and respect in his gaze. He'd just been on the verge of giving up, his dream seemed so damn impossible. And here were two of his friends accepting him without a moment of hesitation, offering him hope when he'd all but given up.

"I really lucked out with you guys as teammates huh? You guys have no idea how much this means to me."

"Aww come here!" yelled Nora as she swept him into a spine shattering hug. "Don't worry Jaune, we're gonna make you the best of the best! The cream of the crop! The bees knees!"

Putting him down, her face took on a more conspiring look.

"Besides you have to be ready. I'm starting to think that something fishy is going on at this school. Have you ever took a good look around and realized that aside from our team, team rwby, team crdl and the professors, everyone is just a black shadow?! They don't even have faces! Stop laughing, I'm serious!"

Doing his best to stifle his laughter he looked over to see Ren trying and failing to suppress a smirk.

Honestly, he couldn't have asked for better friends.

"Ok Nora I believe you. When do we start."

Nora's cheshire smile burned Jaune to his core. He just knew that smile would haunt him for years to come.

"We'll start tomorrow."


	5. Ella

"Hey Pyrrha over here! Look!"

Running as fast as her short legs could carry her, Pyrrha made her way towards the pier. Being a harbor town, Argus was something of a wonder for the children residing there. The outer wall surrounding the city gave a feeling of isolation, but the structure of the buildings allowed for many small crevices and pathways. Perfect for a child to weave their way through the city unseen.

"I'm coming Ella!"

Pyrrha weaved through the narrow corridor narrowly ducking under a stray piece of plywood. Erupting from between the buildings, she saw her friend up ahead.

Her ragged clothes were offset by a vibrant smile and amber eyes, her luscious raven hair bobbing as she turned her now mischievous smile towards her scarlett haired counterpart.

"Took you long enough! They almost left!"

Taking in gulps of precious air, Pyrrha turned her attention towards the pier. Her eyes scanned the area taking in the rapidly approaching sunset, the massive ships and the exhausted workers who were slowly packing up and preparing to call it a day.

"That guy. That guy right there!" spoke Ella with excitement as she pointed towards a hulk of a man. His bald head shimmered in the fading sunlight, his scars and rugged features only serving to paint him as a villain.

With her face taking on a more cautious look, Pyrrha turned to see her friends smile take on a near maniacal edge and she bent down and retrieved a previously unseen paint can.

"You said your semblance can control metal right?"

Pyrrha wared with herself. She knew it was wrong, but Ella seemed so excited. She made her choice.

* * *

The two children burst through a door, one laughing raucously while one tried and failed to hold back her giggles.

"See I told you it would be funny! Did you see his face?!"

Covering her mouth in a doomed attempt to suppress her laughter, Pyrrha admitted to herself that it was a _little_ funny.

Their laughter slowly died down, and Pyrrha took stock of where they were. Unstable support beams and roofing complemented the broken and dirty stained glass windows. The dusty carpet was no better, hosting shattered glass and other unnamed debris.

Cobwebs occupied every corner save for one, and Ella ran for it with ill restrained glee, expertly dodging over the debris to preserve her bare feet.

Pyrrha cautiously followed after her noting the dusty and worn pews that occupied either side of the aisle. The massive timeworn organ that lay opposite of Ella loomed over the dilapidated church, standing tall as it's time tested protector.

Ella remained unfazed by her surroundings and seemed to rummage around in a pile of scraps, tossing things haphazardly until she withdrew a small black notebook. It's frayed edges and broken lock seemingly mattered very little to her as she plopped down onto a lone mattress on the floor, a cloud of dust flying up as a result.

Reaching for a pen, she seemingly scanned each page until she found what she was looking for, muttering happily to herself before checking something off. With a satisfied nod, she placed the book down on the floor next to the mattress.

"...Ella?"

"Sup?"

"Are your parents ok with you being here?"

Pausing, Ella cocked her head to the side.

"I dunno. I haven't actually seen my dad and my mom left me here a while ago. She said she'd be back soon though, so I'm not too worried."

Pyrrha felt a cold pit form in the pit of her stomach. She swiftly made her way over to Ella wrapping her in a comforting hug.

The two remained that way for a moment before Ella pushed her off, a small smile tugging at her face.

"It's not that bad, I have this place all to myself! And I have you now so this can be like a clubhouse! Oh! Lemme show you my favorite part!"

Grabbing Pyrrha's hand, she bolted over to the backside of the organ. A ladder was hidden behind it, reaching up into the darkness of the broken church.

"Come on!"

Pyrrha followed after Ella, the two of them darting up the ladder. It's creaks and groans did nothing to sooth Pyrrha's anxiety, so she opted to close her eyes and just move. One rung after another, she climbed and climbed until she felt the stale church air give way to crisp Argus breeze.

Opening her eyes, she watched as Ella balanced herself, listlessly humming a tune as she walked along the roof's edge with the finesse of a practiced tightrope performer.

Fully hoisting herself onto the roof, she breathed in the beauty of Argus. The gently falling snow set the mood as the city lights cast the city in a soft yellow glow. The docks were perfectly visible, and she stared in awe as the ships that were slated to, began leaving the docks, the rest remaining anchored in a facsimile of peaceful slumber.

"It's nice isn't it?"

Ella's voice snapped her out of her wonder.

"It's beautiful…"

"Yup! This is where I come sometimes to think. Something about being up here is just so freeing you know?"

Nodding along, Pyrrha watched as Ella jumped back onto the flat of the roof. A wistful sigh left her lips and she stared up at the shattered moon.

"Pyrrha, do you believe in destiny?"

"I don't know. Was it destiny that you ran into me that day?"

Ella scoffed in derision.

"The way I remember it, YOU ran into ME! It's not like I wanted to get stuck with you anyways."

With an upturned nose and a "harrumph" to emphasize her point, she turned away, a small smile betraying her intent.

With another barrage of giggles Pyrrha raised her hands in surrender.

"Ok, ok let's say we ran into each other?"

"Never surrender!"

As the two descended into another bout of hysterics, Pyrrha relished in the feeling of freedom that came with Ella.

She was headstrong, determined, and always so sure of herself.

Pyrrha both admired and envied her for that.

"Sometimes I think about being a huntress. Exploring the world and seeing everything there is out there. I guess saving people would be cool too."

Looking at Ella speak, Pyrrha had no doubt in her mind. She'd make a grand huntress someday.

"Why don't you?"

"Ehh it's not exactly like I can go to school right now…"

She gestured lazily at her attire and Pyrrha once again felt that cold feeling nestle itself into the pit of her stomach.

"What if I trained you? I mean, I'm already receiving training and I could help you in our hangout time?"

"Pyrrha, I couldn't ask you to do that."

Her eyes flew open in shock as Pyrrha closed the distance between them, her shoulders in Pyrrha's stern grip.

"I want to train you!"

Staring into her emerald eyes, Ella saw the unyielding look affixed to her normally docile friends face. Her eyes threatened to overflow as she realized exactly how serious Pyrrha was about her.

"Ok! Let's do it! We'll become huntresses together! We'll go on all kinds of adventures! It's gonna be awesome!"

Pyrrha watched on as her friend's scintillating smile drifted.

Further and further away…

* * *

Pyrrha's eyes cracked open, her sleep addled eyes taking in the room. The mornings first rays of sunlight were just beginning to peek into the room and her mouth felt like it was full of cotton.

Turning over and reading the clock, a groan escaped her throat.

'Six o'clock…'

With a quick stretch and yawn, her day began. Flitting around the room, Pyrrha moved with urgency. Her methodical morning routine had been ingrained into her since she was a girl, and it was reflected here, her precise movements making nary a sound.

Placing the finishing touches on her hair, she took one final glance at her team before she left the room. An early breakfast sounded good and she wanted some time alone to think.

Reaching the cafeteria and settling on a rather modest breakfast, her eyes scanned the cafeteria for an isolated place to sit, only to stop as she saw the last thing she wanted to see at the time.

There in the center of the cafeteria sat Weiss, waving her over with a demure smile on her face.

Biting back the annoyed look that almost flashed across her face, she flashed a brilliant smile and moved towards Weiss. Taking a seat, she began eating hoping that not too much would come of this.

"Are you ok Pyrrha? You look terrible."

'She's just concerned. She doesn't mean it. She means well.'

Repeating her mantra in her head she spoke, doing her level best to keep her tone as pleasant as possible.

"Oh it's nothing! I've just been having a bit of trouble sleeping. It's not that big of a deal."

"Preposterous! As future huntresses in training we should…"

Pyrrha tuned her out as she absentmindedly ate her now soggy bowl of cereal. She honestly had no idea how someone as kind as Ruby put up with this on a daily basis. She knew Weiss meant well, but she was just so overbearing.

"Pyrrha are you listening to me?"

At the mention of her name, she perked up. Her eyes found Weiss's irritated yet concerned look and a flash of guilt overcame her.

"I'm sorry...I'm just trying to deal with a lot right now. There's been a...situation."

"Does this 'situation' have to do with Jaune?"

Weiss watched as Pyrrha's eyes widened in shock, her mouth racing to deny the accusation.

"Don't bother denying it, it's pretty obvious. One moment you're attached at the hip the next you can't even look at each other. Trust me, I've heard more than enough speculation from Yang and Ruby about what could have happened to know it's an issue as well."

She honestly didn't know what to say. Had it really been that obvious? If there were ever a hope in her mind that Ren and Nora would remain oblivious to their newfound hesitation around each other, it was gone now.

Before she could retreat too far into her thoughts, the clearing of a throat allowed her to refocus on Weiss, who now seemed a tad bashful.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Reflecting on the past week of silence and isolation she had embroiled herself in, Pyrrha jumped at the chance to talk to someone about her turmoil. Even if it was Weiss, at the very least she seemed genuine.

"Weiss, have you ever said something that you wish you could just...erase?"

"Schnee's don't wallow in regret and self pity," scoffed Weiss, her countenance stern for all but a second before she sighed, "though since this is hypothetical, I suppose I wouldn't have been quite as harsh on Ruby as a leader. Maybe."

A smile found Pyrrha's face as she watched Weiss blush in embarrassment. Maybe she could open up a bit to Weiss about this, if only to get a different perspective and to get this weight off of her chest.

"So what exactly is the issue?"

"Jaune had an...unorthodox type of schooling. It turns out he wasn't adequately prepared to deal with the challenges beacon presents."

"That's ridiculous. All the academies are held to a very strict standing as their job in grooming the next generation of potential hunters is of the utmost importance. Which school was it?"

A bead of sweat trickled down Pyrrha's forehead. She saw this as a potential outcome of when she aired this to Weiss, but a part of her had still just hoped it would remain somewhat elusive.

"It was, uhhh...Professor...Xavier's...school for the...gifted?"

"I've never heard of that school? Is it based in Vacuo perhaps?"

Sending a prayer to whatever deity would listen, Pyrrha prayed for Jaune's forgiveness if what she was about to say ever got back to him.

"Yes! It is a Vacuoan institute! I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it though, it primarily caters to a more 'special' type of person."

Weiss's furrowed look of concentration broke into a look of complete understanding at the word "special".

It suddenly all made sense to her! The inability to pick up on her overt hints to stop hitting on her, his delayed learning in their classes, and his extreme social awkwardness! It all made sense!

"It would be really appreciated if you didn't mention this to anyone either. I'd hate to see him to get mocked or anything of the sort."

Weiss gave a vigorous nod of understanding prompting Pyrrha to let out a relieved sigh. Standing to exit the cafeteria, she turned to Weiss, a look of appreciation coloring her face.

"Thank you for listening Weiss, I really do appreciate it."

"It's my pleasure. Regardless of what you run into with Jaune, just try to be there for him. We're all supposed to be there for each other."

"Wow Weiss, I didn't know you could be so altruistic."

"Honestly I wasn't, but being partnered with Ruby has shown me how...insensitive I can be to some things. I'm trying to work on that."

Pyrrha laughed appraising Weiss. Who knew the girl with the razor blade tongue could be so kindhearted?

"By the way, I have a team of lawyers dedicated to cases of libel and slander. If I hear any rumors around the school that I said these things about Ruby I will vehemently deny them and sue for damages."

'Well it's a great start.'

Weiss was definitely making some sense. She couldn't let her own personal hang ups impede the entire team. Was what Jaune wanted to achieve really impossible?

'No' she readily admitted to herself, 'but it worked great as an excuse.'

Nonconfrontational, kind, and agreeable.

These were traits that she had heard used to describe her before, but only she knew the ugly side such traits stemmed from. Fear and indecisiveness forced her into a passive state, never wanting to address her problems. How could she? Should she have dumped her issues onto someone else and have them resent her for her own weakness?

Could she have looked a crying and begging Jaune in the eyes and told him the reason she refused to train him, was because she was afraid of a shadow that was already far in the past?

No, instead she avoided him like the plague. The constant evasion culminated into a mess she wasn't sure words could even fix anymore. He'd stopped sending her those longing glances in favor of steadfastly ignoring her.

And she hated herself for it.

With a sigh, she prepared herself. Despite what Weiss said, there was still one other person she wished to speak to before she made a final decision.

She needed to see Ozpin.

* * *

Jaune couldn't help but notice that Pyrrha wasn't there. Class was almost over and yet there was still no sight of her. He, Nora and Ren had wondered where she went when they woke up, but in light of the current situation decided to let it be.

Now?

Now he was getting worried. He hadn't seen Pyrrha miss a class even once! He looked to this left to see Ren and Nora discussing and writing out his training regimen in hushed whispers. Down below he observed as more than half of the class struggled to stay awake as Port drones on about the escapades of his younger years.

The bell rang signaling a dismissal. As he packed up his books, he heard a sharp clearing of someone's throat. He glanced up to see Weiss of all people, a soft look on her face.

His heart beat just a bit faster. Was this his time? Did his persistence finally melt the Ice Queen's heart?

"Jaune I would like to formally apologize for how I have treated you in the past. Some new information has come to light about your status at this school, and I would like you to know that I have the utmost respect for your dedication despite your...difficulties."

The remainder of team rwby stood in disbelief as Weiss apologized to Jaune of all people! Ren and Nora shared a quick glance as they struggled to comprehend what exactly it was that they were seeing.

Jaune's chest was threatening to burst at this point, his fantasies of where he and Weiss may take their newfound relationship ran rampant as he stuttered out a response.

"T-thanks Weiss! Tha-that really means a lot!"

Rather than scoff at his stuttering as she may have done before, she instead giggled. Jaune's heart threatened to stop right then and there.

'God if I die right now, I just want you to know, it's ok.'

"Here."

As she held out a slip of paper containing nine perfectly written numbers on it, Jaune's mind ground to a halt. As he stood there having a mild malfunction, Ren rushed to his rescue. Taking the small piece of paper from Weiss, he addressed her with slight apprehension in his voice.

"I'm sure he appreciates it Weiss. Since you know about the 'peculiarities' of his acceptance to Beacon, I'm sure you understand that he can get easily...overwhelmed when some things happen."

"I understand completely. When he recovers please do let him know that if he needs any help at all, I would be glad to tutor him. We need to stick together and he is a 'special' case after all."

Ren wasn't sure how he felt about the emphasis she put on the word "special", but all things considered he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. If Weiss managed to discover Jaune's transcripts and somehow have the empathy to not only maintain the secret, but to also offer her aid?

Well, he saw no problem here.

Offering a quick nod, he balked as Weiss curtsied to Jaune. Her head held high even as her team peppered her with questions.

"I made it."

Ren watched as Jaune came back to the land of the living. His love struck eyes glanced over to Ren, before he enveloped his brother in arms in a hug.

"Ren...I made it."

* * *

Pyrrha stood in the elevator as it slowly ascended. After her talk with Weiss, she had opted to skip class in favor of talking to Headmaster Ozpin, only to back out at the last second again, and again. As she neared his office, she once again began having her doubts.

What would she say to him? What was she even going there for?

Before she had a chance to change her mind yet again, the elevator came to a smooth stop, it's doors sliding open. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she stepped out of the elevator into the ornate office. Looking up she observed as the gears moved in tandem, each one serving to remind her of how small she really was.

Seated behind his desk was the very person she came to see. She steeled herself as she watched him swivel towards her, his omnipresent coffee cup in hand.

"Ah Miss Nikos. To what do I owe the pleasure?"


End file.
